Use of glucocorticoids megadoses in SARS-CoV-2 infection in a spanish registry: SEMI-COVID-19.

Objective: To describe the impact of different doses of corticosteroids on the evolution of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, based on the potential benefit of the non-genomic mechanism of these drugs at higher doses.

Methods: Observational study using data collected from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry. We evaluated the epidemiological, radiological and analytical scenario between patients treated with megadoses therapy of corticosteroids vs low-dose of corticosteroids and the development of complications.

Melatonin Modulates the Antioxidant Defenses and the Expression of Proinflammatory Mediators in Pancreatic Stellate Cells Subjected to Hypoxia.

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) play a major role in the formation of fibrotic tissue in pancreatic tumors. On its side, melatonin is a putative therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer and inflammation. In this work, the actions of melatonin on PSC subjected to hypoxia were evaluated.

Assessment of Inorganic Phosphate Intake by the Measurement of the Phosphate/Urea Nitrogen Ratio in Urine.

In chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, it would be desirable to reduce the intake of inorganic phosphate (P) rather than limit the intake of P contained in proteins. Urinary excretion of P should reflect intestinal absorption of P(inorganic plus protein-derived). The aim of the present study is to determine whether the ratio of urinary P to urinary urea nitrogen (P/UUN ratio) helps identify patients with a high intake of inorganic P.

Novel Tyrosine Kinase Targets in Urothelial Carcinoma.

Urothelial carcinoma represents one of the most prevalent types of cancer worldwide, and its incidence is expected to grow. Although the treatment of the advanced disease was based on chemotherapy for decades, the developments of different therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody drug conjugates and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, are revolutionizing the therapeutic landscape of this tumor. This development coincides with the increasing knowledge of the pathogenesis and genetic alterations in urothelial carcinoma, from the non-muscle invasive setting to the metastatic one.

Sex-Specific Ventricular Arrhythmias and Mortality in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Recipients.

Objectives: The study goal was to examine whether there are sex-related differences in the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and mortality in CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D) recipients.

Background: Few studies have evaluated sex-related benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Moreover, data on sex-related differences in the occurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in this population are limited.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to occupation-based social classifications and gender.

The link between the dietary pattern known as the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and lower morbidity/mortality is well known, and its efficacy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases has been proven in recent years. However, adherence to the MedDiet seems to be related to socioeconomic status. The objective was to analyze whether their adherence to the MedDiet differs from the rest of the working population.

Pancreatic stellate cells exhibit adaptation to oxidative stress evoked by hypoxia.

Background Information: Pancreatic stellate cells play a key role in the fibrosis that develops in diseases such as pancreatic cancer. In the growing tumour, a hypoxia condition develops under which cancer cells are able to proliferate. The growth of fibrotic tissue contributes to hypoxia.

Melatonin modulates proliferation of pancreatic stellate cells through caspase-3 activation and changes in cyclin A and D expression.

In this study, the effects of melatonin (1 μM-1 mM) on pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) have been examined. Cell viability and proliferation, caspase-3 activation, and the expression of cyclin A and cyclin D were analyzed. Our results show that melatonin decreased PSC viability in a time- and concentration-dependent manner.

Melatonin modulates red-ox state and decreases viability of rat pancreatic stellate cells.

In this work we have studied the effects of pharmacological concentrations of melatonin (1 µM-1 mM) on pancreatic stellate cells (PSC). Cell viability was analyzed by AlamarBlue test. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was monitored following CM-HDCFDA and MitoSOX Red-derived fluorescence.

What Reasons Lead Spanish Medical Students Not to Be in Favor of Organ Donation?

Introduction: Despite sensitization of medical students toward the donation of organs, a non-negligible percentage of students are not in favor of donation.

Objective: To analyze the reasons of Spanish medical students who do not have a favorable attitude toward the donation of their own organs after death.

Method: The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities, using the database of the International Donor Collaborative Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year.

Are Medical Students of Non-Spanish Nationality Studying in Spain as Sensitized to Transplantation as Those of Spanish Nationality?

Introduction: Awareness of organ donation among Spanish doctors and medical students is very positive. However, the emerging group of professionals of non-Spanish nationality studying in Spain has not been analyzed.

Objective: To analyze the differences in the attitudes toward the different types of donation among medical students, according to their nationality.

Information About Donation and Organ Transplantation Among Spanish Medical Students.

Introduction: Health professionals are asked to promote health, especially organ transplantation; however, they do not always have specific training.

Objective: To analyze information about donation and organ transplantation among Spanish medical students.

Method: The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities using the database of the International Donor Collaborative Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year (n = 9275).

Role of Peritoneal Cytology in Patients with Early Stage Colorectal Cancer.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of free tumour cells in peritoneal lavage cytology performed using a standard method before and after the resection of the tumour, and to assess the usefulness of this technique in scheduled interventions on colorectal cancer patients. Peritoneal lavage cytology was performed on a homogeneous sample of 188 patients undergoing colorectal cancer curative resection before and after the resection of the tumour. The procedure was performed systematically in all cases.

The melatonin receptor antagonist luzindole induces Ca mobilization, reactive oxygen species generation and impairs trypsin secretion in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

Background: In this work we studied the effects of the melatonin receptor-antagonist luzindole (1 μM-50 μM) on isolated mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

Methods: Changes in intracellular free-Ca concentration, reactive oxygen species production and trypsin secretion were analyzed.

Results: Luzindole induced increases in [Ca] that diminished CCK-8 induced Ca mobilization, compared with that observed when CCK-8 was applied alone.

Mild Cognitive Impairment with a High Risk of Progression to Alzheimer's Disease Dementia (MCI-HR-AD): Effect of Souvenaid Treatment on Cognition and F-FDG PET Scans.

Background: Previous studies have shown that Souvenaid (medical food) can have benefits on memory, cognition, and function in early Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Objective: Demonstrate that Souvenaid could improve or maintain cognition and has an effect on neurodegeneration biomarkers.

Methods: This cohort study was carried out from June 2015 through December 2016 in the Neurology Department, Infanta Cristina Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

Melatonin induces reactive oxygen species generation and changes in glutathione levels and reduces viability in human pancreatic stellate cells.

In this study, the effects of pharmacological concentrations of melatonin (1 μM-1 mM) on human pancreatic stellate cells (HPSCs) have been examined. Cell type-specific markers and expression of melatonin receptors were analyzed by western blot analysis. Changes in intracellular free Ca concentration were followed by fluorimetric analysis of fura-2-loaded cells.

Phosphate control in reducing FGF23 levels in hemodialysis patients.

Background: In hemodialysis patients, high levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23) predict mortality. Our study was designed to test whether the control of serum phosphate is associated with a reduction in serum FGF23 levels. Additionally other variables with a potential effect on FGF23 levels were evaluated.

Mismatch in Brain Perfusion and Metabolism Detected with Tc-Hexamethyl Propylene Amine Oxime Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography and F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Moyamoya Disease.

We report a 47-year-old woman who developed an ischemic stroke with diplopia and dysarthria. Emergency computed tomography (CT) showed no pathological findings, and magnetic resonance (MR) showed mild ischemic-degenerative lesions. MR angiography and angiogram showed severe stenosis of both internal carotid and main intracranial arteries with plenty collateral vessels with "puff of smoke" suggesting a moyamoya disease (MMD).

High-dose-rate brachytherapy in the treatment of skin Kaposi sarcoma.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to review our experience in treatment of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) lesions with high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy.

Material And Methods: We present five new KS lesions (three patients) that were treated in our hospital from May 2016 to February 2017 with HDR brachytherapy using Valencia applicators. The treatment was delivered in 5 Gy fractions over five sessions, on alternate days.

Ethylene-vinyl acetate foam as a new lung substitute in radiotherapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam as a new lung substitute in radiotherapy and to study its physical and dosimetric characteristics.

Methods: We calculated the ideal vinyl acetate (VA) content of EVA foam sheets to mimic the physical and dosimetric characteristics of the ICRU lung tissue. We also computed the water-to-medium mass collision stopping power ratios, mass attenuation coefficients, CT numbers, effective atomic numbers and electron densities for: ICRU lung tissue, the RANDO commercial phantom, scaled WATER and EVA foam sheets with varying VA contents in a range between the minimum and maximum values supplied by the manufacturer.

Effects of bilateral discectomy and bilateral discopexy on black Merino sheep rumination kinematics: TEMPOJIMS - phase 1 - pilot blinded, randomized preclinical study.

Background: The temporomandibular joint interposal study (TEMPOJIMS) is a rigorous preclinical trial divided in 2 phases. In phase 1 the authors investigated the role of the TMJ disc and in phase 2 the authors evaluated 3 different interposal materials. The present work of TEMPOJIMS - phase 1, investigated the effects of bilateral discectomy and discopexy in sheep mastication and rumination.

Inter-Rater Reliability and Downstream Financial Implications of Electrocardiography Screening in Young Athletes.

Background: Preparticipation screening for cardiovascular disease in young athletes with electrocardiography is endorsed by the European Society of Cardiology and several major sporting organizations. One of the concerns of the ECG as a screening test in young athletes relates to the potential for variation in interpretation. We investigated the degree of variation in ECG interpretation in athletes and its financial impact among cardiologists of differing experience.